


I fight all the foes that need to be fought

by Lestradesexwife



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: 221B Ficlet, Anger Management, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-10
Updated: 2013-09-10
Packaged: 2017-12-26 04:54:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lestradesexwife/pseuds/Lestradesexwife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In August I wrote ALL THE WORDS... and I think I have been a little burnt out. So here is a tiny little fiction prompted by overthemoon via tiltedsyllogism and the Antidiogenes gets punchy 221B challenge.</p><p>221B starting with "John can't decided if he wants to punch Sherlock."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

John hasn’t decided if he wants to punch Sherlock... well no, he _has_ decided that he wants to punch Sherlock. He hasn’t decided if he _needs_ to punch Sherlock. His fingers curl and unfurl at his sides, elbows locked, arms straight, practicing the familiar shape of a fist. He turns his head sharply, looking down at the table, breaking away from Sherlock’s gaze. 

 

John catches the sharp pained look that passes over Sherlock’s face as he turns. It calms him; Sherlock knows what he has done is wrong. Sherlock learns. Slowly, and often by provoking emotional trauma in his flatmate. Physical trauma will not erase the emotional damage that Sherlock has wrought. He sometimes hears Irene’s voice when he contemplates violence against Sherlock, comments about cheekbones... never helpful in times like this. 

 

Which of course makes it sound like he often contemplates violence against Sherlock. He closes his eyes, rests the tips of his fingers against the table; he counts the good versus the bad. Evaluates himself for Stockholm syndrome, and then huffs a laugh, feels the quick sharp jerk of his chin without willing it. Sherlock has good reasons, the case probably... boredom more likely, the _needing to know_ that forms the majority of Sherlock’s personality.

 

Apple, coffee mug and gun. John can’t fault Sherlock for chasing away the boredom.

 

 


	2. My eyes are Blurred

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sherlock's POV on the same moment.
> 
> Also a 221b... jesus these are difficult!

John hasn’t decided if he wants to punch Sherlock, his fingers form a fist, open again and close, a sea creature grasping for particles on the waves. He turns, breaks Sherlock’s gaze. Relief and a crushing weight all at once; falling into deep water, so soft until it presses between your lips. Sherlock’s control falters for an instant and John sees.

 

It is ludicrous that the weight of John’s disappointment, more than his rage, should drag Sherlock down so low. He mainly hears Mycroft in the moments when he has disappointed John. _“Caring is not an advantage.”_ Sherlock fights it, pushes away the rush of dread that fills him in these moments. He could go on, if John left him. 

 

His heart pounds as he watches John, the weight of the pros and cons of life with Sherlock Holmes obvious in the flicker of his eyes under the delicate skin of his lids. John takes account of Sherlock’s boredom, balances it with his own.

 

Sherlock holds his breath, he can... he can go on without John. He would; he has never needed to... _please_ someone; not since Mummy and Grandmère, never someone as ordinary as John Watson. 

 

He shakes himself as John laughs, John isn’t ordinary. John has never been ordinary, he’s better... and for him Sherlock will make himself better.

 


End file.
